MANILA - Former Commission on Elections commissioner Rowena Guanzon said Thursday she has taken her oath as congresswoman-elect of the P3PWD Party List in the House of Representatives.

Guanzon thanked her supporters, specifically those of defeated presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo whom she campaigned for during the May elections.

"The issue of opposing my substitution is now moot because I have already taken my oath and will assume office after 12 noon of June 30, 2022," she said in a Facebook live video.

Earlier in the day, the Comelec en banc rejected the bid of Duterte Youth Party List, led by National Youth Commission chairperson Ronald Cardema and wife Rep. Ducielle Cardema, to stop Guanzon's substitution.

• Comelec junks bid to stop Guanzon's party-list substitution

"Personal naman ang galit ng taong 'yan sa akin eh. Di ko pa alam bakit ka ba galit na galit eh pinaupo naman namin yung asawa niya," Guanzon said. "Tapos na eh, nag-oath na ako, ano pa i-TRO (temporary restraining order)?"

(Their grudge is personal. I don't know why he's mad, I've allowed his wife to sit in Congress. I've taken my oath, what is there to file a TRO for?)

Guanzon said she will also push for electoral reforms while in Congress. She talked about the possibility of joining the House Committee on Suffrage.

"Sa ayaw at sa gusto ko, ilalagay naman nila ako sa committee na 'yan eh," she said.

(Whether I like it or not, they will put me on that committee.)

Guanzon earned her economics and law degrees from the University of the Philippines.

At the age of 28, she was appointed Officer in Charge/City Mayor of Cadiz in Negros Occidental in 1986 by then President Corazon "Cory" Aquino.

She later became commissioner of the Commission on Audit (starting 2013), and then of the Comelec, from 2015 until February of this year.

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